Beyond Destruction
by Dr. Anthro-Tano
Summary: What if the Doctor had been able to save Clara from falling to her death in the Christmas special? Now when saving Clara's life results in the end of the world, the Doctor has to take more companions than he's used to. What will happen? Bad summary, hopefully a good story!
1. Chapter 1

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is my first actual _Doctor_ _Who_ fan fiction story. I'm also not British so forgive me if their dialog doesn't sound quite right. Thanks! Enjoy the story!**

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If he hadn't looked up in the niche of time...If he hadn't moved as fast as he did...if he hadn't ended up sacrificing the fate of the world to save her...would she still be here?

_::Back to the beginning::_

"I don't know why I'm crying," Clara commented with a small, unsure smile as she looked down at the key in her hand with tear filled eyes. The Doctor smiled and replied, "I do. Remember this. Remember this. Right now. All of it because this is the day." His smile widened as he went around to the other side of the central console swinging the umbrella and exclaimed, "This is the day everything begins!"

Clara smiled as she ran her thumb over the key and thought about what this meant for her. She was suddenly grabbed from behind by something very cold as she dropped the key and heard the Doctor yell, "Clara!" He was already running towards her, wielding the sonic screwdriver as she was dragged out of the TARDIS screaming, "Get off of me!"

"Water vapor doesn't stop ice. I should have realized," the Doctor commented, more to himself than anything else as he followed close behind, still aiming the sonic at the ice creature holding Clara and pulling her away as he yelled, "Let her go! Let her go now! _Now!_"

"Get off of me!" Clara screamed as she struggled as hard as she could, trying to eescape the beast's grasp. The Doctor realized what was about to happen, and he froze for a brief moment, before he shouted, "No! Clara!" He saw the ice lady start to fall backwards, and his instincts kicked in as he dropped the sonic and raced forward. He managed to grab Clara's hand as she fell, her weight pulling him down to his knees as she hung high up in the air.

"Clara!" The Doctor called, jerking Clara out of the shock she had been in as she looked up at him to see him trying to get her to reach up with her other hand. She immediately obliged, and now having a form grip on both of her hands, the Doctor began to pull her back up. After a few minutes of struggling, the Doctor was finally able to haul her back over the edge as he stumbled back and fell. He was still holding onto her wrists while she held onto his, so he accidentally pulled her with him as she fell on top of him.

The Doctor could feel her shaking against him, and he instantly sat up as he wrapped his arms around her comfortingly and protectively. Clara's breathing was ragged and long as she started to calm down from her near death experience. The Doctor sighed in relief that she was safe as he placed his head on top of hers and closed his eyes. He wasn't used to such intimate gestures or acts, and to be honest, it usually made him incredibly squeamish and awkward, but this time it was different. It was comforting, and it caused something else to well up inside of him. It was a warm sensation that felt familiar, but he just couldn't place it or name it. Not now, at least.

A little while later, the soothing silence was suddenly pierced by a high shrill, causing them both to jump as the Doctor frowned and stood up. He took Clara's hand and helped her to her feet as he led her over to the TARDIS, stooping down to pick up the sonic on his way over. He opened the little door on the left door and answered the phone that was inside, "Hello?"

"Doctor, the snowmen 'ave the pieces of the ice lady!" Jenny exclaimed on the other line, and even Clara, who had to place her ear next to the phone, was able to hear the fear and panic in her voice. "What do we do?!"

Suddenly, a strong wind blasted past them, nearly knocking the pair off their feet as Clara instinctively grabbed onto the Doctor for support. The ground beneath their feet began to soften as they started to sink into it. The Doctor stiffened when he figured out what was happening. It had to be snowing and storming extremely hard to deplete the supply of such dense water vapor so quickly. He then commented into the phone, "Just stay there and don't leave!"

"Yes, Doctor!" Jenny replied, and both she and the Doctor hung up as the Doctor turned to Clara. He gave her a wide smile and asked, "You ready to save the world, Clara?" Clara couldn't help but smile right back at him as she laced her fingers with his and questioned, "Do I have a choice?"

"Not really," the Doctor replied with a mischievous grin, and Clara rolled her eyes in amusement as he pulled her inside the TARDIS. He let go of her hand and ran over to the central console. After pulling the final lever, he turned his attention back to Clara and walked over to her as the engines began to rev.

"You're going to have to change," the Doctor commented as he stood in front of her. Clara raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms, about to ask why until the Doctor gently grasped her hand, lifting it up. He placed something in her hand, and her eyes widened in surprise when she saw what it was. It was the key! How did he find it when she didn't even know where it had landed?

"How-" Clara began to ask, but the Doctor stopped her mid sentence with a wave of his hand as he gently pushed her towards one of the doors and informed, "First door on your left. You'll find everything you need in there." Clara gave him a questioning look but didn't comment or argue as she nodded. She went up the steps as the door in front of her opened, startling her as she looked over her shoulder at the Doctor who only smiled.

"The TARDIS is only welcoming you," the Doctor soothed with a grin, "but you need to hurry. This may be a time machine, but we're already set on our destination, and we've got a world to save."

Clara smiled and nodded as she ran down the seemingly endless corridor until she came to the door the Doctor had indicated. She was unsure how to open it since there were no handles on the big metal doors that slid instead of swung open, but she noticed a flashing red button, and something compelled her to push it, silently urging her, so she did. The doors slid open, and she stood there in shock and awe at the interior.

It was a bedroom with a bed with bright red comforters and gold colored pillows. By what she could see, the sheets on the bed were also gold in color. There was a metal dresser built into the wall, but she needn't go look in it for something better to where because there was an outfit already lying in wait for her on the bed.

"Is this your doing?" Clara asked the ship, not really expecting an answer as she walked over to the bed, picking up the clothes laid out for her. To her surprise, the engines hummed as if affirming and answering her question, but she knew she really shouldn't be surprised. Nothing about the Doctor or the TARDIS made sense, not entirely, at least, so there were bound to be more surprises in store for her.

The Doctor was looking at one of the two pull down screens when he heard one of the doors open, and he turned around. He was amazed by what he saw. Clara was wearing a red shirt with sleeves that went down to her elbows that had a black collar and black cuffs. She also had on a pair of black jeans that fit her perfectly. Of course, he knew she would come out wearing something else, something thinner and lighter so she could move around easier, but he didn't expect her to come out looking...well, like that.

"Close your mouth," Clara teased as she smiled and walked past him. "You'll catch flies."

The Doctor snapped his mouth shut and blushed; he hadn't realized his mouth was hanging open in awe of her beauty. Clara smiled as the TARDIS shook as it landed. The Doctor ran past her towards the front doors and called back to her, "Just in time! But I do think the TARDIS took her time getting here!" Clara smiled and chased after him as he opened the doors and stepped out. What they saw shocked not only Clara but also the Doctor. He had expected to get there first before Dr. Simeon. He was wrong.

"You're too late," Dr. Simeon stated triumphantly as he motioned to the large glass sphere and added, "Behold!" Clara and the Doctor watched in horror as the snow in the oversized snow globe began to melt together and began to grow as it froze into ice. A figure rose from the still forming pile of ice, and terror filled Clara when its gleaming eyes landed upon her. It gave her a sharp toothed grin, causing a shiver to go down her spine, but she held her ground despite her fear.

The creature turned to face them, still contained within the globe as the Doctor took a step back and commented, "Run." Clara was so focused on the creature that she only registered that he had spoken to her as she blinked and asked, "What?"

"Run!" The Doctor yelled as he grabbed Clara's hand about to run into the TARDIS when a loud crash pierced the air, and pieces of glass flew past them and around them. The ice man had broken out of the globe.

Clara's eyes widened as she tightened her grip on the Doctor's hand. Suddenly, the creature surged towards them, a murderous lust in its eyes, but by the time she could scream, she was pulled inside the TARDIS, and the door was slammed behind her. The beast pounded on the door in frustration, but Clara knew it couldn't get in as she looked up at the Doctor in surprise at how fast he had moved.

"Time Lord," the Doctor commented with a sheepish smile. "Quick reflexes."

Clara didn't reply; she only nodded as the Doctor turned and ran over to the control boards, flipping a few switches before pulling the final lever. The TARDIS shook as Clara went over to the Doctor and asked, "What happens now?" She knew they had failed, and the world was now doomed. What she didn't know was what was going to happen next, and she was scared of the answer. The look in the Doctor's eyes scared her even more. It was a look of fear and uncertainty.

"We save the others, and we escape."

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**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I know it's not entirely British, but I did the best I could. For my Star Wars readers, I'm working on those stories. No promises on when they'll be updated. For my Doctor Who readers thanks for reading! :D Reviews are like stickers and cookies! Can't get enough of them! So please review! :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I would apologize for taking so long to update this though this is faster than I usually update my stories so I don't know whether to apologize now or not. X3 Lol. Well anyways, I hope you enjoy this story just as much as I loved writing it! :D**

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"What are you wearing?" Alice asked as she looked Clara up and down, stunned by what she was wearing. Clara waved off the question even though everyone except Vastra, Jenny, and Strax were looking at her in shock as she grabbed both of the children's hands and replied, "That's not important right now. We need to leave."

"Why?" Digby asked as he looked up at her, and Francesca chimed in, "Where are we going?" Clara knelt down in front of them with one hand on Digby's shoulder and the other on Francesca's upper arm as she replied gently, "We're going with the Doctor. It's not safe here anymore." The children looked at her in confusion but that was fine with Clara; they would understand later, and at least they would be safe. Guilt gnawed at her, however, knowing they were leaving the rest of humanity unaware, unprepared, and unprotected to such predators.

Clara felt a hand gently rest on top of her head, and when she looked up, she saw the Doctor standing behind her with a soft look in his eyes. She nodded as she stood up and ushered the children inside the TARDIS with Alice, Strax, Vastra, and Jenny behind them. Captain Latimer was right behind them, but he stopped as he passed the Doctor and said in a low, threatening voice, "I don't know what's going on or what you did to her, but I'm not about to let you have her."

The Doctor scowled and pierced the captain with an ice cold glare that would make the man drop dead if looks could kill. Captain Latimer went into the TARDIS, and the Doctor followed after him. The children were amazed by the TARDIS as they ran around, looking at everything. Digby stood up on the tips of his toes with one hand holding onto the edge of the central control board as he reached out towards a lever and asked, "What does this do?"

"No! Don't touch that!" Both the Doctor and Clara yelled out in unison as they raced forward. Clara grabbed Digby, pulling him back while the Doctor messed with the controls, knowing they had to get out of there. Clara took both children's hands and commented gently, "All right, you two. It's past your bedtime."

"But-" All arguments were silenced when Clara gave the young boy a stern look before turning to look at the Doctor as if to ask where to take them. The Doctor motioned to the same door he had before and informed, "Second door on your left." Clara smiled appreciatively, grateful that he was putting the children in the room next to hers as she led them to their new room. She knew what to do this time as she pushed the red button that was no longer flashing, and the doors opened.

The children gasped when they saw the room. It had a glass dome ceiling that looked up at the stars, and there were two huge beds on either side of the room with a teddy bear on each bed. Clara smiled and murmured under her breath to the TARDIS, "Thank you…" The engines hummed in response, but only she noticed.

"Into bed," Clara instructed, and while Francesca immediately obeyed, Digby did so begrudgingly as they crawled into bed. Clara tucked them in and kissed their foreheads as she went over to the door. There was another flashing light, except this time it was white, and when she pushed it, the lights in the room cut off. She then pushed the red button, and the doors opened as Clara commented, "Goodnight, Franny. Goodnight, Digby."

"Goodnight, Miss Montague," both children said at the same time, and Clara gave a small smile, knowing it was a force of habit for them to call her that even though they knew that wasn't her actual name. She left the room and closed the doors behind her as she walked down the hall back towards the main control room. When she got there, she noticed that the lights were dimmed and only the Doctor was still in the room messing with switches, buttons, and levers as she walked towards him.

The Doctor heard her approaching him, her black boots making soft footsteps with every step as he looked up at her. He smiled, but that smile quickly faded when she didn't return the gesture and only looked at him with a sorrowful glow in her brown eyes.

"Do you think there will be any survivors?" Clara asked as she stood in front of him, and the Doctor placed a hand on the control board, leaning on it. He didn't want to upset her, but he knew she would know he was lying if he told her he did believe there would be survivors. He sighed and leaned forward, resting his other hand on her shoulder as he replied grimly, "The likeliness of anyone surviving is slim to none…I'm sorry, Clara, but I don't think so."

Clara looked down as she squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to cry. She didn't want the Doctor thinking she was weak, even though he knew she was anything but weak. Guilt, regret, and sadness consumed her. She had left her friends and her family to die a cruel and horrible death at the hands and claws of the growing ice people. The Doctor gently grasped her shoulders, pulling her forward as he kissed her forehead and added, "But I have been wrong before."

Clara looked up at him to see him smiling softly as she smiled back and teased lightheartedly, "Did it hurt your ego to say that?" The Doctor smiled and replied, "I'm not that egotistical." Clara smiled broadly and rolled her eyes as if she didn't believe him. He then placed an arm over her shoulders and pulled her against him as he added, "You've had a long day you should get some sleep."

"Blimey, if you don't want me around, why don't you just say so?" Clara joked as she looked up at him and leaned against him. The Doctor smiled as he walked her towards the hallway where her bedroom was. They continued to talk leisurely as they strolled down the hallway, unaware of the affection they were showing so obviously as well as the single pair of eyes that was watching them intently.

The pair had no destination they were going for, but were instead just walking about the continuous corridors. The Doctor was giving her a tour, figuring he might as well do that if she wouldn't go to sleep. They reached an old wooden door with metal hinges and a metal door handle, and the Doctor opened it as he commented, "And this is the library."

Clara gasped as she walked into the room and looked around in awe. The room was huge with a glass ceiling looking out at the stars while bookshelves lined the walls reaching from floor to ceiling. There were bookcases forming rows upon rows while candles sat on tables, and couches sat around a fireplace with side tables with lamps sitting upon them. Clara looked back at the Doctor and smiled as she commented, "This is…astounding." The Doctor smiled and took her hand, pulling her further into the room as he asked, "Do you like Sherlock Holmes stories?" Clara's eyes lit up with excitement as her smile widened, and she answered cheerily, "Like them? I love Sherlock Holmes!"

The Doctor had taken something off a table and hid it behind his back as they walked past the table. He stopped and turned to her as he pulled the book out. Clara's eyes widened when she realized what book it was: it was a Sherlock Holmes book she had never seen before. She looked up into his eyes questioningly and asked, "Where did you get this?"

"The table."

Clara gave him a playful glare as if to tease and say, "Don't be clever." The Doctor smirked as Clara crossed her arms and commented, "Yes, but how did you come by it?" The Doctor only lifted up one of her hands and put the book into it as he replied, "I never know how, I only know who." Clara couldn't help but smile as she looked down at the book in her hands and looked it over. She knew he gave it to her so she could read it so she went over to one of the couches and sat down as the Doctor sat down next to her. Clara looked over her shoulder at him and smiled as he asked, "You mind if I read along with you?"

"I don't really have a choice, do I?" Clara questioned with an amused smile, and the Doctor only smirked. Clara chuckled and leaned against him as she opened the book. The Doctor placed an arm around her as he looked down at the book and moved closer to her. They sat together, reading by the fire for about an hour before the Doctor felt Clara's head slowly drop and lean back against his shoulder.

The Doctor smiled as he marked the page they were on and carefully removed the book from her limp hand. He leaned over and placed the book into the side table before he turned to pick up Clara so he could carry her to her room. However, Clara turned towards him, still asleep as she snuggled into him and murmured something inaudible.

The Doctor froze as her breath warmed his neck because her head had tilted back. He took a deep breath to calm himself, but he didn't want to disturb her and move her from where she looked so comfortable and so…_cute_. Cute? The Doctor's brow furrowed together as his mind darted back and forth, and he wondered where that thought came from. He soon relaxed, however, and wrapped his arms around her as he held her close.

Clara sighed softly and nuzzled her face into his chest. The Doctor rested his chin on top of her head and placed his arms around her as he leaned back, pulling her with him. He closed his eyes and breathed in her scent, finding a strange comfort in the sweet smell as he let himself drift off to sleep with the beautiful girl in his arms.

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**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm almost done with chapter three now too! It will be a little bit until I put it up. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It's more of a filler, a transition between two events. I'm going to have more of those. Not only does it make my story longer, but it also makes the move from one major event to the next more smoother. As you know, reviews are like stickers and cookies! I can't get enough of them! So please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Typed this up and updated the story rather quickly if I do say so myself. (^-^) Proud of myself. Lol. I actually had a writer's block for this part. I knew I needed a major event, but I couldn't think of anything. Believe it or not the event going that is going to begin in this chapter is not the major event in the whole story.**

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Clara stirred from her peaceful slumber and could hear a steady double beat within a warm pillow underneath her head. She then realized what her head was resting on was not a pillow. Her eyes blinked open as she looked up to see the Doctor still asleep beside her. She smiled and raised her hand as she traced his facial features with the tips of her fingers.

A smile carved into Clara's face as she ran her fingertips along his lips and closed her eyes, letting her sense of touch draw the image. Suddenly, she felt the Doctor's mouth curl, and when she opened her eyes, she saw that he was awake and smiling down at her. She smiled back and opened her mouth to say something, but before she could utter a single word, they heard a young voice calling out, "Miss Montague! Miss Montague!"

Clara sighed and reluctantly pulled out of the Doctor's arms as she stood up and called, "I'm in here!" Not even half a minute later, Digby came running around the corner, and to both the Doctor's and Clara's surprise, he was wearing a pair of brown shorts and a white T-shirt, even though Clara didn't know that was what they were called. Digby ran up to Clara, smiling broadly as exclaimed, "Look at what I found!"

"You look very handsome, Digby," Clara commented sweetly as she gave him a warm smile and placed her hand on top of his head. Digby smiled as Clara turned around and the Doctor stood up and placed an arm over her shoulder. Clara placed her hand on Digby's back between his shoulder blades and gently pushed him forward as they walked out of the room.

Clara soon became depressed by the memory of the destruction of the human race, so the Doctor takes her and the others on trips to other worlds. After everyone became used to traveling and seeing different worlds and different species, the Doctor took Clara to earth at an earlier time than he had met her, knowing she would want to see people.

Though Clara liked wearing the more modern clothes, she found comfort in wearing her usual Victorian dress. The Doctor wore an outfit that also matched the time period as he offered Clara his arm. Clara smiled and linked arms with him as she held out her hand. Digby took her hand, now wearing his clothes from before the Doctor came as Francesca grasped the Doctor's hand.

Captain Latimer was not very happy about the two pretending to be a married couple with Francesca and Digby pretending to be their children. However, he did not object, but he wasn't about to let the Doctor get Clara.

Clara leaned her head against the Doctor's shoulder as the four of them walked along the side of the road. The Doctor looked down at her and smiled as he asked, addressing all three of them, "So what do you want to do? We have the whole world to explore!" Before any of them could answer, a carriage suddenly pulled out from an alley in front of them as two men jumped out and grabbed Clara and Digby, pulling them inside the carriage car.

Clara screamed as Digby gave a yelp in surprise and struggled as hard as he could. The Doctor pulled Francesca closer to him as he started forward and yelled, "Clara!" Francesca wrapped her arms around him and held onto him in fear as she cried out, "Digby!" The carriage door slammed shut as the driver whipped the reins, and the horse neighed and galloped off, leaving the Doctor and Francesca behind.

Francesca was terrified as she looked up at the Doctor and asked fearfully, "What just happened?!" The Doctor turned to her and crouched down in front of her, gently holding onto both of her hands as he replied as calmly as he could, "Clara and Digby were just kidnapped, but don't worry." He kissed her forehead. "We'll find them."

"How?" Francesca asked, remembering the conversation she had overheard between her father and Clara, about how unlikely it was to see someone again after they were kidnapped. The Doctor smiled and placed a hand on top of her head as he responded, "I never know how…I just know who." He took out the sonic screwdriver and pointed it at her, not actually using it as he added, "And you can be my partner in crime. You in?"

Francesca nodded as the Doctor smiled and took her hand, standing up. He ran back the way they came, remembering a stable they had passed on the way as he gently pulled Francesca along, making sure he wasn't running too fast for her. When they finally reached the stables, the Doctor dashed to the shack as he used the sonic screwdriver to unlock it. He came back out, carrying a saddle as he went over to one of the stalls and unlatched it.

"Isn't this stealing?" Francesca asked as she walked over to the Doctor and watched him put the saddle onto the horse. The horse had a beautiful ebony coat with white from its knees down and a white spot in the shape of a four sided star on its forehead. The Doctor only smiled as he tightened the last strap and replied, "It's only stealing if you don't plan on returning it." Francesca rolled her eyes as the Doctor put the reins and harness onto it.

"What's the name?" The Doctor asked as he motioned the child over and absentmindedly stroked the horse's jet black mane. Francesca immediately obeyed and went over to him as she replied, "It said 'Rolling Thunder' on the gate." The Doctor lifted her high enough for her to climb onto the saddle as he got up after her with her in front of him and commented, "Interesting name…Rolling Thunder…I like it!" He then snapped the reins.

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"What's taking them so long?" Captain Latimer asked impatiently as he paced back and forth in the main control room and kept his hands clasped behind his back. Vastra watched him with eyes as sharp as a razor as her serpent-like tongue occasionally flicked out in irritation. She felt two soothing hands rest on her shoulders, squeezing them gently as she looked up to see Jenny standing behind her with a soft, reassuring smile, trying to calm her agitation.

Vastra placed a gloved hand over her wife's and smiled back, before she stood up and turned towards the captain. She reached out and grabbed his arm to stop his pacing as she commented, "They have not been gone very long. You shouldn't worry." Captain Latimer only jerked his arm free and glared at her as he walked away.

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"This way!" The Doctor exclaimed as he pulled the reins to the right, holding onto them with only one hand while held the sonic in the other. Francesca didn't know how he was tracking Clara and Digby; all she knew was that he _was_ tracking them. Soon, they came to a large building that looked like an old warehouse with old, weather beaten stone walls and large, cracked and broken windows near the roof which was made out of iron and steel.

The Doctor pulled back on the reins as Rolling Thunder gradually came to a stop and stomped his hooves. The Doctor pat the horse's neck before he got off and turned to help Francesca down. The Doctor stroked Thunder's head from his forehead down to right above his nose and asked, "Are you going to stay put?" Francesca looked up at him as if he was crazy, but to her surprise Thunder nodded his head and snorted. The Doctor smiled and pat Thunder on the neck, before he took Francesca's hand.

"You ready?" The Doctor questioned as Francesca looked up at him and nodded. Her eyes were wide with fear, and her hand had a death grip on his as she looked around warily. The Doctor squeezed her hand reassuringly as he began to walk towards the door that appeared to be the back or side doors. He put his ear against the crack and listened carefully to make sure it was safe. He knew that Clara would be furious if he let Francesca get hurt.

The Doctor slowly pushed the doors open and peeked his head inside as he looked around. Once he saw that it was clear, he crept inside, pulling Francesca along with him as they began to search for Clara and Digby. After a while, they heard the rattling of metal chains in a separate room, and the Doctor hid Francesca behind a stack of boxes before he went to check out the other room.

"Who's there?!" A familiar voice demanded as the chains clanked again. The Doctor instantly recognized the voice as he poked his head around the corner and called, "Clara?"

"Doctor!" Clara exclaimed happily when she saw him as the Doctor ran over to where she and Digby were chained to the wall and took out his sonic screwdriver. He switched the settings on the sonic and aimed it at the metal cuffs around Clara's wrists as the instrument started to let out a high pitch whine and shine a green light. The cuffs unlocked as Clara pulled her wrists in front of her, and the Doctor turned to Digby, doing the same to his cuffs.

Clara threw her arms around the Doctor's neck and hugged him close as she murmured, "Thank you..." The Doctor was startled at first, and he gave a nervous smile, but he soon hugged her back before standing, pulling both Digby and Clara to their feet. Clara took Digby's hand and held it tightly, before she grasped the Doctor's hand with the other. The Doctor couldn't help but smile, feeling her hand in his, grasping tightly yet gently onto his was reassuring because he had her back, and she was safe. As well as Digby, of course.

"Where's Francesca?" Clara asked quietly, worried someone was there and might hear her as the Doctor led her back out into the main room. The Doctor pulled them over to the stack of boxes, but when he looked behind them, Francesca wasn't there. Worry and fear started to creep in, two emotions he hadn't felt for anyone except Clara for a very long time.

"Looking for something?" A malicious voice asked as the three of them spun around to see a man holding Francesca tightly to him with the muzzle of a pistol pressed to her temple. The Doctor inhaled sharply as both Clara and Digby called out, "Francesca!"

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**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Did y'all see the season finale?! Omg! That was AMAZING! It was so obvious that the Doctor and Clara have feelings for each other. Though...didn't really feel that great when the Doctor and River kissed...but I bet it did look funny to the others since they couldn't see River! Haha! Anyways! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I left a cliff hanger. You'll learn I love to do that, so prepare yourselves. I seriously cannot wait until the next episode for the 50th anniversary! Omg! It's too far away! Well, anyways...you know the drill! Reviews are like stickers and cookies (and _Doctor Who_ episodes)! Can't get enough of them! So please review!  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Ugh! I seriously cannot wait until November 23, and yet, I can wait to see episode because I am super positive Clara and the Doctor will reveal their feelings in some way shape or form in that episode, but it also means I'll have to be back at school! Ugh! Anyways! I have overcome my upsetedness (I realize that is not a word. It is now about the Doctor and River kissing. My dad said "Well, they are married." I don't care.) However, I was told that River **_**was**_** mentally linked with Clara, and that was the only reason she was still there...that and the Doctor didn't say goodbye...but any who! Technically that means by kissing River, he also kissed Clara, so WHOOP! :D Also, I have an explanation for the TARDIS not liking Clara. My friend Mitchell told me this. (That's not his actual name; I just call him that. :3) Since Clara stepped into the Doctor's timeline, she technically has known the Doctor longer than the TARDIS, since she was the one who told him to take that specific TARDIS, thus the TARDIS is jealous! Haha! The TARDIS be jelly! XD Lol! Well, anyways! Long author's note! Sorry! On with the show!**

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"Doc...Father!" Francesca called, correcting herself before she called him Doctor as she tried to pull away from the man holding her, but he held onto her tightly. The Doctor aimed the sonic screwdriver at the man and stepped closer as he growled, "Let her go." The man moved back and pressed the muzzle of the revolver even harder against Francesca's temple, causing the young girl to cry out softly as the man snapped, "Stay back! I'll only let her go if you leave by yourself!"

"I know people like you," the Doctor said in a low, threatening voice as he stepped forward again and continued to point the donic at the kidnapper. "You won't let her go without something in return, and just me leaving definitely won't cut it, now will it?"

The man began to raise the gun up as if he was about to strike Francesca with the butt of the gun as he yelled, "We have an intruder! Come quickly, boys, and bring-"

_Bang!_

A gunshot went off, causing both Digby and the Doctor to jump as Francesca flinched from the sound and squeezed her eyes shut. The kidnapper crumbled to the ground dead with the side of his head blown off as blood poured out across the floor. Digby was staring at the dead body in horror, but the Doctor couldn't see the boy since the child was behind him as he turned his attention to Francesca and called, "Fran, come here, but only look at me. Don't look anywhere else but at me, okay?" Fran was the nickname he had picked up and started calling her on their many trips and adventures; it was like the shortened version of Frannie, which Clara called her.

"O-Okay," Francesca replied as she opened her eyes and stumbled towards him. The Doctor held her close, keeping her face pressed into him so she didn't see the body as he turned around so he could see who fired the gun, pulling Francesca with him. He didn't want her to see the horrific sight as he realized that Digby was staring at the body. He didn't want Digby to see it anymore, so he pulled the nine year old boy to him, before he finally looked up to see the shooter.

To the Doctor's great surprise, Clara was standing behind him with the literally smoking gun in her shaking hands. She held onto the pistol so tightly that her knuckles were bleached white as she stared at the lifeless body of the man she had just killed with wide, scared eyes.

"Fran, hold your brother," the Doctor whispered softly to the thirteen year old girl as he let them both go but kept them facing away from the dead man, "and neither of you turn around and look."

"Yes, Doctor," both children replied solemnly as Francesca wrapped her arms around her little brother and held him tightly to her. The Doctor gave a nod of satisfaction and acknowledgement, before he turned and carefully approached Clara. He gently wrapped his hand around the muzzle of the gun and tenderly removed it from her grasp. The moment the revolver was out of her hands, Clara snapped out of her daze as her eyes brimmed with tears that would not fall, and she rushed forward, wrapping her arms around the Doctor's middle.

The Doctor stumbled back a step or two in surprise, but he quickly recovered as he encircled his arms around her and held her comfortingly. He kissed her forehead and commented, "It's all right...Now, let's get out of here." Clara nodded and took his hand as he placed the revolver onto one of the wooden crates. Suddenly, shouting filled the air as the sound of footsteps approaching them from down a hallway reached their ears.

"Run," the Doctor commented as he grabbed Francesca's hand, and she held onto Digby's hand. They ran outsidr, bursting out through the doors as Rolling Thunder neighed and raised up onto his hind legs. He stomped his front hooves and threw his head back with a snort as the Doctor slowly approached him and put his hands up to calm him.

"We can't all possibly get on," Clara commented as she looked at the Doctor, who was currently picking up Digby as he placed him on Thunder's back and replied, "Sure we can!" The shouting reached them again, and he added, "We just have to hurry!" He then lifted Francesca up on top of the horse behind Digby. The Doctor took Clara's hand and quickly helped her up as she stepped onto one of the stirrups while Francesca moved closer to her brother to leave more room for her. It was uncomfortable for her to sit straddling the saddle because of her Victorian attire as the Doctor climbed up with them, not even sitting on the saddle.

"Have you ever riden in the saddle, Clara?" The Doctor asked as he reached forward to grab the reigns, but it was too difficult for him to hold onto them and adequately control the horse and menuver them through the streets as he placed the reigns in her hands. Clara frowned as her brow furrowed together, and she replied, "No..."

"Well, I hope you're a fast learner!" The Doctor exclaimed as he gently held Clara's lower arms and made her snap the reigns. Rolling Thunder snorted and took off in a gallop right as the doors burst open and two men came running out. The Doctor instinctively wrapped his arms around Clara's middle, holding onto her so he didn't fall off as a small, almost unnoticeable smile carved into Clara's face. She knew she shouldn't be enjoying this moment since they were still in danger of being killed, but she couldn't help it. She liked the warm feeling of his arms around her waist. That's whem the gunshots started, and bullets flew past them. The Doctor looked over his shoulder and inhaled sharply when he saw two of the three kidnappers, since the third one was dead, sitting on the driving bench of their carriage and gaining on them. Fast.

"Snap the reigns!" The Doctor yelled as he turned back around so he was facing forward again.

"What?" Clara called back as she briefly glanced over her shoulder at him, and the Doctor grabbed her lower arms again half way between her elbows and her wrists as he explained quickly, "Like you did before when I moved your arms! Snap the reigns!" The Doctor wished he had hooked up Rolling Thunder to a carriage so he could get them back to the TARDIS safely. Of course, he wasn't blaming Clara for her lack of experience since he knew she had no reason to know how to ride a horse; he just wanted her and the children safe.

"Oh!" Clara exclaimed as she lifted the reigns and snapped them down, driving the horse faster. The Doctor continued giving her instructions on when and where to turn as they made their way back to the TARDIS. The gunfire had long since stopped, but now the shouts were starting to fade away into the distance behind them as Clara gently pulled back on the reigns, and Rolling Thunder slowed down as they went towards the busier streets.

The Doctor had Clara stop as he and Digby got off to give the girls more room. The Time Lord picked up the little boy and carried him as he took the reigns from Clara, leading Thunder through the streets. Not that he cared what others thought about him except for his companions and friends, but the Doctor didn't want it to look strange with all four of them on Thunder's back because standing out wasn't always a good thing, especially when you're already standing out because of how Clara and Francesca were sitting as well as because they only had a horse and no carriage.

Once they finally reached the TARDIS, the Doctor placed Digby back onto his feet, before he helped Clara and Francesca down from Thunder's back. When the Doctor went to turn away, Clara didn't let go of his hand as he looked down at her and raised an eyebrow as if to ask what she was doing.

"I know you're going back to return the horse," Clara began to answer his unspoken question as she smiled up at him, "and I'm coming with you."

"As delightful as that sounds," the Doctor replied with a grin, not in the least bit sarcastic as he squeezed her hand, "it'll be a lot quicker if you stayed here."

Clara gave a fake disappointed sigh and smirked as she waved him off. The Doctor smiled and kissed her forehead, before he turned around and climbed into the saddle. He smiled down at her and the children and added cheerfully, "I'll be back before you can say, 'Where has he got to now?'." The children looked at each other with smiles and giggles as they both said in unison, "Where has he got to now?" Clara and the Doctor both smiled, before the Doctor whipped the reigns and took off to return Rolling Thunder to his stables and rightful owner.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**** Sorry that it's not as long as it usually is, I just thought that was a perfect place to end the chapter, and since it wasn't too short if I ended it there, I cut it off there! :D Well, I hope you liked it! Oh! I forgot something I was gonna put in there! Now that I remember, I might just put it in the next chapter because it could work there too...Hm...Anyways! You know the drill! Reviews are like cookies, stickers, and anything Doctor Who! I can't get enough of 'em! So please review!**

**If you review, I'll give you a little look into what's going to happen in this story (the idea actually, like generally. I haven't written the whole thing yet so I can't give you a random scene with details and stuff. I hope that made sense :3 Sorry if it didn't). If you're lucky, and I've written more of the story, you might get a preview of not only chapter 5 but past that. That is, if I've written it.**


	5. Chapter 5

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**** So…I can't remember if it took very long to update this or what, but I'm too lazy to go look when I last updated this. X3 Lol. I'll see it when I put this up, which obviously, since you're reading this I've already put it up. Kind of like a time paradox. Idk. Whatevahs. :3 Anyways! For those who told me what whouffle meant, which I feel like an idiot for not knowing what it was. The true winner of telling me what whouffle meant was a guest so whoever that person was, I apologize for not being able to give you that promised preview. :) Anyways! I hope you enjoy the chapter! :D**

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The Doctor found Clara waiting for him outside the TARDIS, leaning against it as she smiled when she saw him and stood up straight. He smiled back at her and walked up to her as he asked, "Why are you waiting out here?" Clara smiled and took his hand, lacing her fingers with his as she replied, "I never know why…" A smile spread across the Doctor's face as she continued, "I only know who."

The Doctor pulled her closer, letting go of her hand so he could link arms with her, looking very Victorian as he questioned, "Shall we?" Clara smiled and moved closer to him, placing her other hand on his arm as she replied, "We shall." He pushed the TARDIS doors open and led her inside, the happiness in their expressions and the warm smiles on their faces revealed nothing of the day's prior events.

Clara leaned her head towards him and looked up at him as she whispered, "I told the children not to tell anyone what happened unless you gave them permission to…" The Doctor only nodded in acknowledgement; he wasn't paying complete attention because he could sense Captain Latimer's hateful gaze burrowing deep into him. A confident smirk carved into the Time Lord's face.

"_Very well. Challenge accepted,"_ the Doctor thought as he glanced at Latimer. _"Let the games begin."_

"Wasn't that fun?" The Doctor asked cheerily as he unhooked his arm from Clara's and took her hand, spinning her around. Clara laughed as her hair and long Victorian dress twirled around with her, still swinging around her even when she stopped spinning. The Doctor pulled her back as she twisted back into his arms with the palms of her hands pressed against his chest and one of his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. She smiled up at him and reached up, adjusting his bowtie before patting his chest.

Clara pulled out of his arms, but as she walked towards Francesca and Digby, she looked back over her shoulder at him and gave him a mischievous yet warm smile as her eyes sparkled with a playful attraction and affection. When she turned to the children and was no longer looking, Captain Latimer shot a death glare at the Doctor but didn't say anything even though he did have a few choice words in mind he would like to share with the Time Lord, but he restrained himself from doing so.

The Doctor's attention turned to the children when they giggled as Clara ushered them down the short flight of stair to the area beneath the platform with the controls. The Doctor couldn't help but smile at how motherly she was as he went over to the central control panels and flipped switches and adjusted different levers and dials as the TARDIS took off again. Alice quickly went after Clara, sensing the tension between Latimer and the Doctor, albeit the Time Lord didn't feel as threatened by the captain as Latimer did by him.

Latimer stormed off in a huff as Vastra came over to the Doctor with Jenny beside her and asked, "Is there something going on between you and Captain Latimer? Some kind of conflict?" The Doctor gave a small smile and continued to mess with the controls as he replied, "Nothing important."

"Mhm," Vastra responded as she linked arms with her wife and walked off with her, leaving the Doctor alone in the main control room since Strax had disappeared a while ago with instructions from Vastra not to shoot or blow anything up. Now alone, the Doctor's thoughts began to wander, focusing on one thing, one person like it always did: Clara. He didn't know where these feelings came from, all he knew was whenever she was around, his two hearts quickened their beat, and when she smiled, they skipped a beat. Not even Rose or even River had made him feel this way; Clara was the only one who managed to do this to him.

The Doctor frowned, and his brow furrowed together when he thought about how similar she was to someone who had saved his life but died in the process. He may have never met Oswin Oswald, the soufflé girl, face to face, but he remembered her voice, and Clara sounded just like her, if not identical to her. The only link missing to see if his assumption was correct was her middle and last name, because that is what he had guessed was Oswin Oswald for the other girl who had died in the Dalek asylum. He needed to figure that out. Little did he realize that his thoughts had consumed a few hours, TARDIS time, as he sat down on the chair beside one of the outer control panels.

"Doctor…"

The Doctor looked up to see Clara approaching him, coming up the stairs as he sat up straight and smiled at her, taking in what she had on. Clara was wearing her favorite white nightgown with her hair down, the long brunette locks falling beautifully over her shoulders and flowing gently down her back. The Doctor swallowed nervously as she walked over to him and asked, "Why are you still up here? It's late."

"Someone has to fly this thing," The Doctor replied, gently touching the control panel and apologizing softly to the TARDIS when he said "thing," before he turned his attention back to Clara and smiled. "And you forget you're never late when you have the TARDIS."

"That's not what I meant," Clara responded as she came to stand next to him and ran her fingers through his hair, seeming nonchalant with innocent intentions, but she was well aware and knew exactly what it did to him, "but you already know that."

"Hm…" The Doctor murmured, liking how it felt when she did that, before he snapped out of his daze and looked up at her, meeting her warm brown eyes as he mumbled, "Clara…" Clara's lips curled into a soft smile as she gently twisted his hair around her fingers and questioned, "Yes, Doctor?"

The Doctor was usually uncomfortable in intimate situations like this, but for some reason he wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as he normally would be, and his control was slowly slipping away. He stood up and turned to face her as a knowing smile carved into Clara's face. She took both of his hands and laced her fingers with his in an attempt to stop him from squirming and flailing his arms because of what she was about to do. She stood up on the tips of her toes and leaned forward against him as she pressed her lips against his. The Doctor's eyes widened in shock as he began to fidget and squirm like Clara predicted as his hands instinctively tugged on hers, trying to pull free.

Like before with their first kiss, the Doctor soon calmed down and stopped fidgeting so much, but his eyes remained wide open as Clara pulled away. She had dropped back down onto flat on her feet, pulling him with her so he was forced to lean down as she let go of his hands and wrapped them around his neck. She smirked at the stunned look on his face and gently pulled on the hair on the back of his neck as she commented, "What's wrong, Doctor?"

The Doctor swallowed, not knowing what to say as he rubbed his fingers together and wrung his hands. Clara chuckled and gave him a light peck on the lips before pulling away. She patted his chest lightly like she had before and began to walk away as she commented, "Later, let's go to the future and see if there are any survivors." The Doctor nodded in agreement as he fiddled with his hands and watched her intently. She had gone down a few steps, before she stopped and turned around as she asked, "Are you coming?"

"Wha—" the Doctor began as Clara held out her hand to him as if inviting him. With a nervous intake of breath, the Doctor walked over to her and took her hand, allowing her to lead him down the stairs into one of the hallways. He didn't know what was going to happen or what she was going to do, but he no longer cared as he willingly went along with her.

* * *

When Clara awoke, she felt the familiar feeling of the blankets over top of her, but there was something else there also, something warmer, stronger, and harder wrapped around her. She slipped her hands underneath the covers to find out what it was and smiled when she realized what it was. It was the Doctor's arms. She was lying in his arms. She rolled over towards him and felt him stir next to her as he murmured, "It's time to get up, Clara…"

Clara gave a soft sigh and moved closer, placing her hands on his chest as she replied in mock drowsiness, albeit she was now fully awake, "It's not like we're going to be late…It's like you said…You're never late when you have the TARDIS, but if you're so dead set on getting up…" She pushed against his chest hard, making him fall over the side of the bed and hit the ground with a heavy thud as she continued, "Then let's get up."

Clara got out of bed and went around to the other side as she looked down at him, smiling in amusement. The Doctor blinked in surprise, before he turned his head to look at her and asked, "What was that for?" Clara only smirked and walked over to the dresser as she replied, "You wanted to get up. Besides, aren't we going to the future?" The Doctor leapt to his feet, and when Clara looked over her shoulder at him, he was already dressed. He smiled at her surprised look as he straightened his bowtie and commented, "That was your idea, my dear Clara. Not mine."

"How did you—" Clara began to ask as the Doctor walked over to the door, but she only shook her head and opened the dresser. The Doctor left to allow her to change in privacy. Once she was dressed, she ran out of her room and down the hallway to meet up with the Doctor in the main control room. She passed Captain Latimer almost immediately after she left her room as she smiled politely at him and waved in greeting to him before disappearing around the corner, leaving the startled man behind. He had seen the Doctor come out of her room, and he instantly knew that they had shared the room the previous night, TARDIS time. Jealousy and anger filled him because he knew what that meant. She had slept with the Doctor, and he hoped to God that only meant they had shared a bed and nothing more.

Swallowing his anger, Latimer calmed himself down and went to get Alice to wake the children, even though he knew he should be asking Clara to do that since she was the children's governess. He was still a tiny bit upset that he had known her for so long under a different name and never knew until the Doctor showed up that her real name was Clara or that she was a former barmaid, though he understood why she did it. With a sigh and a muttered curse of the Doctor, he went off to find Alice.

* * *

"But why can't we come with you?" Digby asked with a slight whine in his voice as he and his sister stood before Clara while the Doctor stood near the doors, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. Clara knelt down and took the little boy's hand as she replied in a motherly tone, "Don't whine, Digby. It's not proper manners." Digby didn't say anything in response, but he looked at her with hurt eyes and held onto her hand tightly. Just as Clara was beginning to cave, pained by the look he was giving her, Francesca chimed in, "Come on, Digby. I'm sure Miss Clara has her reasons."

"All right…" Digby responded reluctantly as he begrudgingly let Francesca lead him away. Clara stood up and flashed the girl a grateful smile, before she went over to the entrance doors of the TARDIS. The Doctor smiled down at her, before he turned and looked at Vastra, Jenny, and Strax as he commented, "Don't open the doors for anyone. We have a key." Clara smirked and raised her eyebrows as the Doctor added, "_Two_ keys."

"We know, Doctor," Vastra replied with an amused grin, and the Doctor nodded in acknowledgement as he turned back to the doors. He glanced down at Clara and mumbled, "Geronimo." He pushed the doors open and looked around before stepping out with a confused look on his face. Clara peeked out from behind him as she took in her surroundings in shock. They were in an alley or some sort of side street. Although there was no one else on the street they were on, they could see people passing by on sidewalks on the road perpendicular to theirs a little ways down while vehicles of some kind drove along on the road itself.

"Doctor…" Clara commented softly as she stepped out, closing the TARDIS doors behind her. She took the Doctor's hand, and he didn't even look down at her as he replied, just as shocked as she was, "Humanity survived…and it not only survived…it's _thriving_."

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**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**** Whoop! I have this amazing idea for what's going to happen! Also, for those who told me what whouffle meant (which I feel really silly for not knowing) I thank you! :D If you review this, I'll give you a little preview of what will come. It might not even be from the next chapter! It could be a preview from somewhere further down the story! Anyways! I hope you liked it! Please review! :D**


	6. Chapter 6

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**** I'm on a roll with this story! I have SOOO much planned for it! Exciting, isn't it?! I think so! Who cares what you think?! Haha! JUST KIDDING! I care what you think! I mean, if I didn't care, I wouldn't reward you for giving me reviews! Sooo…Yeah! On with the story!**

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"How is this possible?" Clara asked quietly as she and the Doctor walked hand in hand down the sidewalk. Thankfully, she was wearing an outfit that seemed to fit in perfectly with that time period. She was wearing a knee length red dress with small white polka dots and pair of black flat shoes, which the Doctor had informed her, were called Toms, while her hair was twisted into a French braid, the handiwork of Francesca. Clara glanced at the Doctor and couldn't help but smile. His outfit seemed to fit in anywhere and everywhere.

"I…don't know," the Doctor replied, and Clara's smile disappeared instantly as she looked up at him startled. He always knew. He was the Doctor; he had lived long enough and traveled through time and space long enough to learn more than anyone could even dream of, and if he didn't know, they could be in trouble. They came to a park and as they walked beside a large stone wall with names carved into it, the Doctor came to realize something, and he immediately informed the girl next to him, "It's a memorial."

"For what though?" Clara asked curiously as her eyes roamed the graveyard, and she moved closer to him, wrapping both of her arms around his arm. There was a plaque in the center of the wall, and the Doctor ran his fingers over the letters as he read it out loud, "'In memory of all those who gave their lives in the War against Ice'…"

"The snowmen?"

"Yes, but we saw what it became…This is the memorial for the war against the ice people," The Doctor replied grimly as he continued to read it, and while she listened to him, Clara looked around as her eyes landed on a small monument, one bigger and obviously more meaningful than the others. She guessed it to be two to three feet tall and was similar to a short column except the only thing it held up was a small statue that was obviously life size. Albeit she couldn't see it well since it was a good distance away and she was looking at the back, she could tell it was the statue of a woman.

Curiosity got the best of her as Clara let go of the Doctor's arm and began to walk towards the statue on the pedestal. The moment she moved away from him, the Doctor's attention immediately shifted towards her as he followed after her. As they got closer, Clara moved around to the front to see the face of the statue, and she froze the moment she realized who it was. The Doctor noticed her reaction and frowned as he asked, "What's wrong?"

Clara's eyes remained fixed on the face of the statue, not even looked down to read the plaque at the feet of the statue as she lifted her hand to point at it and commented, "D-Doctor, that's…me!" The Doctor looked up at it and had to admit that it did look exactly like Clara. He looked down at the plaque and smiled to himself when he saw that her full name was written on it as he responded, "Oh!" He was right! She _was_ soufflé girl! As he continued reading, however, his smile disappeared as the text reaffirmed and reminded him that this was a memorial for those who had died in the war against the ice people, and he added more seriously and grim, "Oh…" He stopped reading there. He couldn't read how or why she died or else it would lock it into time and space, and he wouldn't be able to change what happened without causing a paradox.

'_I won't let her die,'_ the Doctor thought stubbornly as he grasped a hold of Clara's hand and held onto it tightly. _'I'll cause a time paradox. To bloody hell with the space and time "rules." I won't let her die.'_

"Ow, Doctor!" Clara exclaimed, jolting the Doctor from his thoughts as he looked down at her and realized how tightly he was holding her hand. He instantly let go and responded, "Sorry, Clara." Clara nodded in acknowledgement, accepting his apology as she rubbed the pulsing hand, watching the color return to it and hating the tingly sensation as blood began to circulate through it again. It felt like millions of little needle pricks, but she pushed it out of her mind and looked up at him as she commented, "Doctor, it says that I was a savior of humanity, that, without me, the human race would not have survived…"In her shock she had only skimmed through part of it, before the Doctor had begun to squeeze her hand too tight, taking her focus away from it.

"I know…" The Doctor replied as his mind raced. He didn't want her to read that she died. Being the quick thinker that he was, the Doctor knew what to do as he gave her a broad smile and exclaimed, "We should tell the others that humanity has lived to see another thousand plus years." Clara frowned as her brow knitted together, and she protested, "But, Doctor!"

"Exciting, isn't it?!" The Doctor asked cheerily, ignoring her protests as he put an arm over her shoulders like he always did and began to lead her away. "Come on, love! New adventures await us!"

Clara sighed and gave in, knowing there was no point in arguing as she went along with him. She knew what he was doing, but despite his attempts to get her mind off the monument and what it said she did, she couldn't stop thinking about it. She remembered the Doctor explaining to her once that once you saw or read about something that was going to happen, it was set in stone, and it _had_ to happen or else it could or _would_ cause something bad, and she believed he had called it a paradox. She knew then that sooner or later they would have to go back to when the uprising and the war against the ice began.

"Goodbye, 2013! Hello, TARDIS!"

The Doctor's childlike behavior and enthusiasm never failed to brighten her mood and make her smile as Clara laughed and leaned against him slightly; making sure it wasn't enough to make him lose his balance. On the way back, they passed different shops and venues, two of which were a coffee house called Starbucks and a toy store called Toys 'R' Us that Clara urged him on going into both. She stubbornly stood her ground and insisted that she wanted to bring some things back for Francesca and Digby and that he was always telling her to try new things.

When the Doctor finally relented, a broad smile carved into Clara's face, stretching from ear to ear as she practically bounced up to him and pressed a joyful kiss to his lips. The Doctor _did_ squirm at first, but not as badly as he used to. Clara grabbed his hand and dragged him into the toy store first as he quickly forgot that he had ever opposed going in. Soon, Clara had to be the one who said to put something back because she knew that if it was up to him, he would have bought out the whole place, but, thankfully, they walked out carrying two bagfuls each. That's when Clara's eyes landed on the café, and it began all over again, except this time, they didn't walk out with anything new other than stomachs filled with one drink and a piece of cake or pie each.

The Doctor managed to get Clara back to the TARDIS without stopping anywhere else as they walked up to the entrance doors of the TARDIS. Before the Doctor could unlock and open the doors, Clara turned to him and stood on the tips of her toes as she kissed him lightly. This time, he didn't flail at all, but Clara could tell he was fighting the instinct to wave his arms as she smiled against his lips in amusement. He was getting used to it, slowly but surely. She reluctantly pulled away and looked up at him with warm, affectionate brown eyes as she commented softly, "Thank you, Doctor. I had a wonderful time."

The Doctor smiled and kissed her forehead, before he replied, "Of course, my dear Clara. I'm glad you had a fun time." Clara smiled as he unlocked the doors and pushed them open, entering the TARDIS first with her right behind him.

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**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**** Thanks for reading! I know. It was really short and was another uneventful chapter. It must be boring to read. I apologize for that and if you thought it was boring. I might actually add to this chapter later. I'm deciding whether or not to put what's coming next in this chapter or in the next. It'll end the same way, and idk if it'll make this chapter really long if I simply add it on to here, or if it will make the next chapter really short if I just make it a new chapter...hm...I'll have to think on that...Anyways! I have this huge idea for this story, but I won't share it with you just yet! You'll just have to wait until I write it and update it! Whoop! UNLESS you review! If you review, I might give you a little nibble, a little tidbit of what is to come! So review if you want it! As always, sayonara and geronimo!**

**(\/)( ;,; )(\/) ~ Craw fish! :D**


	7. Chapter 7

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry that I haven't updated in a while. :) This is a good chapter even if it's all fluff. X) Lol. I need to update more often. I don't know what else to say. :) So on with the story!**

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Clara had never been happier than whenever she lay in the Doctor's arms, but lately, the Doctor had noticed that she had become more and more reclusive and distant, and he was determined to find out why. When they were the only ones in the console room, the Doctor walked over to where Clara sat in the sole chair beside the outer control panel as he crouched down in front of her and took her hands into his. Clara turned her head to look at him, her eyes distant and thoughtful as the Doctor licked his lips and asked, "What's wrong, my Clara?"

Clara sighed as she leaned forward and stroked the back of his fingers with her thumbs. The look in her eyes told him that she wanted to be held, so he did as he moved up and took her into his arms. He switched positions with her and sat down in the chair with her in his arms. She leaned against his chest with her cheek pressed against his shoulder as she answered his question with her own, "Why won't you let us go back...?"

The Doctor knew exactly what she was talking about as he sighed and ran his fingers through her hair, knowing how she found it soothing. He couldn't possibly tell her, well, maybe not exactly. He kissed her forehead and replied, "I can't risk losing you...I've only just come out of..." His voice faded away, but he didn't need to finish because she understood. Clara moved her head back and sat up straight so she could look at him as she asked, "It said I died, didn't it?"

"I didn't get that far," the Doctor lied as he tried to pull her closer again, but Clara placed her hands on his chest to a little bit of distance between them and responded, "I can tell when you're lying...What did it say?" The Doctor only leaned forward and enveloped her in his arms as he murmured, "Nothing will happen to you...I'll keep you safe..." He knew she was smart enough to figure it out, but for the time being, she only moved closer to him and tucked her head underneath his chin.

Albeit they hadn't admitted their feelings for each other yet, the Doctor knew that he loved her; he had known for a while now. At first, he denied himself such a luxury because he didn't deserve her, and he knew that it was more likely than not that he would end up breaking her, and a life and love with and for him would end up destroying her. He couldn't live with that, and for a brief moment of absolute insanity, he had considered not living with it once he lost her, but he overcame that thought especially since he knew she would want him to live on...for her.

With a sigh, the Doctor kissed the top of her head as he wrapped one arm around her back and slipped the other arm underneath both of her knees before standing up. He carried her bridal style to her bedroom which she now shared with him. He planned on moving them to his bedroom, but he wasn't going to do it yet. He mumbled something under his breath to the TARDIS, and when they reached Clara's bedroom, the doors opened.

"Thank you, sexy," the Doctor murmured to the ship as he leaned over and kissed the doorframe. He heard the engines hum in response as Clara giggled softly. He looked down at her and smiled before carrying her over to the bed as he gently laid her down. She was already in her favorite white nightgown, so he was the only one who needed to change as he quickly changed into his pajamas. Once he was done, the Doctor crawled into the bed and laid next to her as he encircled his arms around her.

"Doctor..." Clara whispered as she moved closer, and the Doctor sighed. He pressed his nose into her hair and sniffed softly, breathing in her familiar always comforting scent as he responded, "I know...but let's talk about it tomorrow, okay?" Clara nodded as she nuzzled her face into his chest and replied, "All right." She let out a content sigh and closed her eyes as she drifted off to sleep in his arms.

Once the Doctor was sure Clara was asleep, he kissed the top of her head and mumbled into her hair, "I love you..." Clara shifted in her sleep and murmured something inaudible as if in response. The Doctor smiled and closed his eyes as he allowed himself to fall asleep next to her.

* * *

The Doctor smiled as he watched Clara play with Francesca and Digby while he leaned against the wall. She would make an amazing mother when the time came, not that she wasn't an amazing mother figure to the two motherless children. His smile faded away, and both of his hearts broke when he realized that she would never have children of her own if she stayed in a relationship with him. However, he knew that if she left him or became unfaithful, he would be devastated, and he wasn't sure if he would ever recover.

The Doctor was jerked out of his thought when the Doors next to him slid open and Captain Latimer came into the room. The Doctor narrowed his eyes suspiciously as Latimer walked over to Clara and the children with determination in his gaze. Clara heard someone approaching from behind her, and she turned around right before Latimer grabbed her upper arm and growled quietly in her ear, "I must speak with you, Miss Oswald..._alone_."

Clara stiffened and swallowed as she glanced up at him, only moving her eyes. When she looked forward again, she saw the Doctor already approaching her and Latimer with a murderous fire in his eyes as he called out warningly, "Captain Latimer, I would really appreciate it if you unhanded her." Latimer took a step back but only loosened hid grip on Clara's arm as her eyes met his for a brief moment, the look in his eyes making her very uncomfortable.

Francesca and Digby stood nearby watching, neither knew what to do or what was going on. Clara looked at the Doctor and gave a small, reassuring smile as she commented, "It's all right, Doctor." The Doctor seemed hesitant at first, but he finally nodded as Clara reluctantly allowed Latimer to pull her out of the room and into the hallway.

Once the doors closed behind them, Latimer turned and stepped closer to her. Clara took a step back as Latimer frowned and commented lowly, "You should be ashamed. Going to bed with a man before marriage, it...it just isn't done." Clara scowled and placed her hands on her hips as she replied indignantly, "For your information, we've only _shared _a bed and that's it! What does it matter? We're not in London 1892 anymore! There is no one to judge us! Besides, it's none of your business!" She whirled around and was about to storm off down the hallway when Latimer asked, "What do you see in him?"

Clara turned around, her eyes strong as she lifted her chin in confidence as well as he was taller than her and replied, "I see kindness, compassion, and heroics. I see a savior of worlds." Latimer crossed his arms and interrupted briefly, "He has not been doing very well at that lately, now has he?" Clara glared at him and placed her hands on her hips again as she continued, "I see two golden hearts. He is someone who I love, cherish, and adore, and there's nothing you can do to change that." With that, she turned around and walked away with a satisfied smile on her face.

"But he's not even human!"

"All the more exciting!"

Clara smiled as she walked away and searched for the second entrance to the playroom. She didn't want the Doctor seeing her with Latimer and getting worked up and overprotective because he would instantly notice that she was slightly upset. She needed the time it took to find the second entrance to calm down. Once she found the other entrance, she pushed the red button, and the doors slid open as she went inside. She laughed lightly when she saw what was going on. A blindfold was wrapped around the Doctor's head in front of his eyes, and even though she couldn't see them, Clara could hear Francesca and Digby giggling as Digby called, "You're getting colder, Doctor!"

"Are you moving around?" The Doctor asked as he wandered around blindly, his head whipping back and forth. Clara walked towards him, keeping her footsteps quiet as she approached him and trailed her hand across his back. She smiled when he jumped and spun around. He placed his hands on her shoulders and moved them up, feeling her facial features. He broke out into a huge grin and pulled her closer as he exclaimed, "Ah, Clara! You're back!"

Clara smiled and laid her hands on his shoulders as she asked, "What are you doing?" The Doctor smiled and gently grasped the back of her neck with both hands, kissing her forehead as he replied, "You went into the hallway to talk to Captain Latimer so I thought I'd look after and entertain the kids." Clara patted his shoulders and moved away from him, smiling as she added, "Carry on."

The Doctor suddenly pulled her closer again and whispered only loud enough for Clara to hear, "We'll talk after this game, okay?" Clara nodded, knowing what he was talking about, but then she realized he couldn't see her as she kissed his cheek and replied just as quietly, "Okay." A smile carved into the Doctor's face as Clara stepped away from him and allowed the game to continue. She hadn't even known he knew how to play blind man's bluff, but if he hadn't before, he sure did catch on fast

Clara couldn't help but laugh as the Doctor bumped into a couch and tumbled over the back of it. His legs still hung over the top as she came over to check on him and asked, "Doctor, are you all right?" She peeked over the back of the couch to see a smiling Doctor and two giggling children as the Doctor exclaimed, "Haha! I found them!" Clara smiled and offered him her hand as he removed his blindfold. He smiled and took her outstretched hand as she helped by pulling him back up.

Francesca and Digby popped up from where they were hiding behind the couch as Digby eagerly climbed over top of it and asked, "Can we play again, Doctor?" Francesca came around the couch and sat next to Clara as Clara smiled at her. The Doctor smiled and placed a hand on top of the boy's head as he replied, "Not now, old sport. I need to have a word with Miss Clara."

Digby sighed and nodded as he and Francesca went to play another game. Clara smiled and took the Doctor's hand as they stood up. The Doctor led her out of the room, walking hand-in-hand with her down the corridor as Clara leaned against him and teased, "Old sport?" The Doctor smiled and shrugged as he replied, "I liked _The Great Gatsby._ Clara looked up at him in confusion as she asked, "The great what?"

"_The Great Gatsby_. It's a book, a good book," the Doctor responded as he grinned and let go of her hand so he could put his arm over her shoulders. "I'll show you it and let you read it sometime." Clara smiled and reached up, gently grasping the hand of his that hung from her shoulder as she commented, "We need to go back." The Doctor sighed as he looked down at her. The thought of losing her was unbearable. She brought him back to life when no one else could. He saved worlds and galaxies, but it was nothing compared to how she saved him. She was his savior, his impossible girl. He didn't even want to think about where he'd be without her.

"Clara..." The Doctor murmured, and Clara looked up at him with confidence and determination in her eyes, letting him know that he wasn't going to win this as she added, "Doctor, it's literally set in stone. I am just one person trading for the whole of humanity. It's more than a fair deal." The Doctor turned to her and took her face into his hands as he replied, "No, it's not even close to a fair deal. You are more than just one person...You're worth more than all of humanity. You are my guardian angel, but now it's my turn to guard you. I will protect you through this."

Clara smiled softly and affectionately as she stood up on the tips of her toes and pressed her lips against his in a tender, loving kiss. They leisurely separated after a few moments as their eyes met, and Clara asked, "Does this mean...?" The Doctor hugged her suddenly, resting his chin on top of her head as he slid his hand underneath her hair to cup the back of her neck, holding her close.

"Yes, let's go save humanity."

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**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I do realize that this is all fluff. Don't worry! The next chapter will have so much action you'll go cross eyed! XD Review and I'll give you a preview for the next chapter! :D  
**


	8. Chapter 8

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**** I need update more often. I just prefer typing up the new chapter on a computer not on my phone or my kindle fire. I like the actual buttons and the sound. I'm weird lime that. Anyways! Here's the action I promised, and for all those who reviewed and I didn't give a preview to, I apologize for that. From here on out I will give my reviewers previews of the next chapter or even beyond the next chapter.**

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The Doctor poked his head out of the open TARDIS door and looked around, before he stepped out. Clara followed directly behind him as her eyes roamed around, taking in their surroundings as she observed, "We're in a building." The Doctor nodded as he took her hand and started to walk forward. He took out his sonic screwdriver, letting go of her hand long enough for him to tweak some of the settings as he carefully read the findings and added, "We're underground...very far underground."

"Like in a bunker?" Clara asked, looking up at him as the Doctor held out the sonic with one hand and grabbed her hand with the other. He quickly set off down the hallway, pulling her along with the sonic extended out in front of him as he replied, "Exactly like a bunker...A heavily fortified and defended bunker...There's a large population nearby."

"Could it be the ice people?" Clara questioned, unphased by the switch in subject since she was used to it as she willingly followed after him, still clasping his hand tightly as she laced her fingers with his. They came to a fork in the road, so to speak, as the hallway split off into two different directions. The Doctor looked at the sonic again before going down the right hallway as they approached a four-way intersection, and he replied, "Possibly, but probably not."

"Freeze!"

Both Clara and the Doctor jumped as heavily padded human soldiers came from the left and right of the intersection, and when Clara looked over her shoulder to behind her, she saw more approaching. All of them had big guns, some of which had little flames being held out in front of the nozzle by a metal attachment on the guns. The Doctor turned and pushed Clara behind him as he backed up towards the wall to protect her. He put away his sonic screwdriver and tried to diffuse the situation, all the while keeping a hand on Clara's waist to keep her behind him, though he knew she could slip out of his grasp if she wanted to.

"Ooh, guns and flamethrowers!" The Doctor exclaimed as he looked from one side to the other and smiled to hide his nervousness. "I've never really liked guns, but flamethrowers! They're always good for roasting marshmellows in a snap! Makes amazing s'mores! I love s'mores. Don't you, Clara?" He glanced over his shoulder at her, and she seemed confused as to what he was doing, but she nodded, nonetheless.

The Doctor's silly demeanor and innocent attempts didn't seem to assure the soldiers of the pair's harmlessness as they moved closer. The Doctor removed his hand from Clara's waist and clasped his hands together as he added, "Ah, perhaps not. It is more of an American tradition anyways."

"Who are you?" One soldier demanded; he seemed to be the one in charge as the Doctor rubbed his fingers together and replied, "Oh, um...I'm the Doctor, and this is my..."

"Girlfriend!" Clara interrupted quickly, knowing it would seem more normal and believable, though they were already technically dating, and she was his girlfriend. "I'm his girlfriend, Clara Oswald."

A familiar figure stepped forward with confusion and shock on his face as he asked, "Clara Oswald? You're not dead?" Clara looked at him curiously as she examined him, looking him up and down until, finally, her eyes widened with recognition, and she questioned, "Tommy? Tommy, is that you?" The man, "Tommy", smiled as Clara's eyes lit up with joy, and she ran forward, hugging him tightly. Tommy hugged her back as the Doctor frowned and fidgeted nervously.

Tommy turned to his superior and informed, "Stand down. They're friendly." His superior nodded and motioned to the others as they lowered their weapons. The Doctor swallowed and stepped forward as he asked, "Uh, Clara...What's going on? Who's this?" Clara turned around and smiled with tears welling up in her eyes as she replied, "This is Tommy. He's my older brother."

* * *

"I can't believe you're alive," Tommy commented as he sat next to Clara while the Doctor led Francesca, Digby, Alice, Captain Latimer, and Jenny into the room. Vastra and Strax stayed behind in the TARDIS until the Doctor could intigrate them back in without anyone freaking out at their appearance. Clara smiled and placed a over his as she replied, "I'm just as surprised to see that you're okay." The Doctor came over to the Oswald siblings and placed a hand on Clara's shoulder as she looked up at him. She saw the look in his eyes and nodded as she stood up. She looked at Tommy and smiled apologetically as she commented, "I'll be right back."

Tommy nodded in understanding as Clara took the Doctor's hand and followed him out of the room. Clara leaned against him as they walked and soothed, "Don't worry, Doctor." The Doctor looked down at her and opened his mouth to reply, but before he could utter a single word, an alarm started going off as red lights flashed. Clara gasped in surprise as she instinctively moved closer to the Doctor and placed a hand on his arm. The Doctor was both surprised and impressed that they had already invented red flashing lights as soldiers started running past them, and Clara called, "Tommy! What's going on?"

Tommy stopped and turned to them as he replied, "We're under attack. The ice people are surging the entrance again." Clara's eyes widened as the Doctor's jaw clenched, and he commented, "Thank you, Tommy." Tommy nodded before he took off running after the others as the Doctor moved his attention back to Clara and added, "Stay here."

"Like hell I'm staying here," Clara stated stubbornly as she tightened her grip on his hand and looked up at him with an indignant look in her eyes. The Doctor sighed, knowing she wasn't going to budge as he led her down the hallway after the soldiers. Clara grabbed a flamethrower along the way to the entrance, and the Doctor pointedly stepped away from her, earning an eye roll from her.

Once they reached the battle infested entrance, Clara nearly screamed in horror and nearly puked at the stench. There were bodies scattered across the ground and large puddles of water dotting the floor while flames surrounded them. The smell of burning flesh and fabric made Clara gag as the Doctor pulled her to him, and she pressed her face into his chest chest. He wrapped his arms around her as he lowered his head and whispered in an attempt to sooth her, "The smell will go away eventually...sensory adaptation...You'll get used to it..."

"But will the sight ever go away?" Clara asked as she looked up at him, holding her breath for as long as she could. The Doctor's eyes were filled with empathy and sadness as he kissed her forehead and mumbled against her skin, "Eventually, love...eventually..."

Clara nodded and took a deep breath to steady herself, but it only resulted in her gagging again. The Doctor moved forward to comfort her, but she shook her head to tell him not to. Suddenly flames exploded next to them, causing them both to jump as Tommy appeared next to them as he growled warningly, "Watch it! They're everywhere! Keep your wits about you!" Clara and the Doctor both nodded as Clara raised the flamethrower and questioned the Doctor, "Care to show me how to use this, Doctor?" The Doctor couldn't help but smile as he wrapped his arms around her and placed his hands over hers, adjusting her hand positions and grip.

"Ready?" The Doctor breathed into her ear, causing an involuntary shiver to go down her spine as Clara smirked and replied, "Geronimo." The Doctor smiled as his pointer finger pressed against hers, and she pulled the trigger, flames erupting in a huge fireball in front of them, melting three ice people.

Clara smiled and gave a small laugh as six human soldiers raced over with strange backpacks on wielding long hoses that sucked up the water from the melted creatures of ice. Suddenly, a voice rang out, and the Doctor froze when he recognized it.

"Ah, Doctor. I remember you."

Clara looked up at her beloved Time Lord and immediately became worried when she saw how pale he was. She suddenly became aware that the attention of most of the ice warriors was focused on them as she swallowed and moved closer to the Doctor. She then heard Tommy calling out her name fearfully when the ice people started to surround her and the Doctor.

Like in other species, each ice soldier looked different from one another, some more than others. There was one that was bigger and moved with more purpose and intelligence than the others as it stepped forward and growlrd wickedly, "Oh, how could I forget about his female _pet_?" Clara felt highly insulted, and for a brief moment, she forget about her fear as she snapped indignantly, "I am _not _his pet! I am his _girlfriend_!"

"Not now, Clara," the Doctor commented quietly as he pointed the sonic screwdriver at the head ice soldier, the ice soldier that used to be just snow in Dr. Simeon's oversized snowglobe. The Great Intelligence smiled and moved towards them as he sneered, "Antifreeze won't work on me, Doctor." The Doctor shrugged as he lowered the sonic and replied, "Worth a shot."

"Yes, but was it worth the sacrifice?" The Great Intelligence questioned evilly, but before anyone could comprehend what it meant, icy claws shot out, hooking into Clara's shirt as it pulled her to it. The sudden movement made her drop the flamethrower as she screamed and reached out for her love.

"Clara!" The Doctpr shouted as he tried to grab her, but she was pulled too quickly out of his reach for him to get a hold of her. Clara struggled as hard as she screamed to be let go, remembering the last time she was in this position and how close to death she had become. She could see the fear in the Doctor's eyes, and that scared her even more as she called out for him, "Doctor!"

"No! Clara!" The Doctor yelled, panic slowly rising up as his two hearts started to beat faster and faster. She meant so much to him; he couldn't lose her. After suffering the loss of Rory and Amy, he didn't think he coulr survive if he lost her too.

"Now, Doctor, here's the price you will pay from here now on," the Great Intelligence commented wickedly as it encircled one arm tightly around Clara, pinning her arms to her sides before using its other hand to drag one icy claw across Clara's throat. Clara froze as the Great Intelligence moved its hand to the top of her head and held it tightly. It jerked her head back so hard, she cried out as it started to dig the tips of its claws into her skin and continued, "Every time you and your little resistance fight back, Miss...Clara, I believe, will pay for it in pain and suffering."

The Doctor's eyes widened as the Great Intelligence dug its claws deeper into Clara's skull, making her scream in pain ad blood trickled down from her hair line. It turned and threw Clara into the hold of two ice soldiers as she called out again, "Doctor!"

"No! You can't take her!" The Doctor shouted as he rushed forward, but the Great Intelligence lashed out, tearing through the Doctor's shirt and narrowly missing his skin. He stumbled back and watched helplessly as they knocked Clara unconscious and started to drag her away. Icy fog started to form as the ice soldiers began to retreat. Not one to give up, the Doctor picked up the flamethrower Clara had dropped and used the sonic screwdriver to give it a power boost which wasn't easy with a weapon that was so low tech. He pulled the trigger and fire erupted in a huge fireball, consuming the last of yhe retreating ice soldiers.

By the time the human soldiers joined in chasing the enemy, it was too late as the remaining ice people that were still visible disappeared into the freezing fog. The Doctor's hearts dropped into his stomach, and his breath caught in his throat. She was gone, and he hadn't been able to save her. It was just like how he hadn't been able to save Amy and Rory. He heard yelled curses, but he didn't pay any attention to the others as his jaw clenched, and his determination skyrocketed. There was one difference, however. He was able to and he was going to save Clara. She meant to much to him for him to let history repeat itself.

"Tommy!" The Doctor called, and Clara's older brother ran over to him as he asked, "What happened? Where's Clara?" The Doctor walked away from the entrance with purpose in his step and determination in his eyes as he replied, "They took her, but..."

"What?!" Tommy interrupted as he chased after him. The Doctor placed a hand on the man's shoulder and continued, "_But _they won't have her for long. I'm going to get her back." He began to walk away again.

"So you have a plan?" Tommy called worriedly as he watched the strange man walk away while other soldiers refortified the entrance behind him. The Doctor spun around with a smile on his face as he clasped his hands together and replied, "Not at all!" Tommy's brow furrowed together in confusion as he watched the Doctor disappear down a hallway before shaking his head in disbelief and going to help the others. His little sister sure did fall in love with a strange man.

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**AUTHOR'S NOTE: ****Something I forgot to add is that this is like 10-20 years after the Snowmen episode. I'll have a scene where Tommy asks the Doctor or Clara about why Clara looks so young. Anyways! I hope you liked this new chapter! :D I hope it was the action you were looking and hoping for! :D You know the drill! Review = preview! So review! Until next time! Geronimo!**


	9. Chapter 9

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**** I apologize for taking so long to update the story. I've just had a lot of school work to do. Being a senior will do that to ya. :3 Anyways, I also haven't written in a little while because of that reason, so my writing skills had gotten a little rusty, so if you read a part that's not particularly **_**that**_** well written, that's the reason why. So I practiced a bit first before continuing so it could be better for my fans and readers. So! On with the story!**

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Clara stirred as she slowly woke up and groaned softly. She lifted a hand to her head and winced at the pain at touching it as she quickly withdrew her hand. She blinked her eyes open and turned her head to see…nothing. It was pitch dark, and she couldn't see a thing. She inhaled deeply and reached out, not even able to see a faint amount of her hand as her finger tips brushed against something hard: a wall of some sort.

Panic began to rise up as Clara rolled onto her back with another wince of pain. She lifted her hands to feel above her, finding what she had been afraid of a little over a foot above her: another wall. She was in a box. Before she could react to her discovery, the container she was in suddenly jolted as a mechanical sound filled her ears, and the container started to shift. Gravity took over, and she began to slide down the bottom as terror began to coarse through her veins.

She screamed and frantically clawed at the walls for something to grip onto. She was afraid that there wouldn't be a floor, and she would fall endlessly. Her fears were nearly realized when she continued to fall for at least fifteen to twenty feet as her feet hit the bottom so hard her legs buckled underneath her, and she crumbled to the ground. Her knees hit the wall, preventing her from going down any farther.

The container felt like it was starting to move or be moved somewhere, but Clara didn't care. She was in too much pain. She squirmed, desperate to get off her feet as she gasped in pain, a few silent tears running down her cheeks. It felt like her heels had shattered upon impact and her ankles had been twisted in a complete 360°. The pain was almost unbearable as she finally broke down and let the tears flow. Her shoulders shook as the sobs racked through her body, and she called out for the one she needed and wanted the most, "Doctor! Doctor, help me!" If only she could see what was going on outside the container…

* * *

"Clara!" The Doctor yelled as he watched his love cry in agony and rub her ankles and heels. The container was about fifteen feet tall and completely transparent. Although they could hear her perfectly fine, the Doctor instantly knew that she couldn't hear them by the way she didn't react when he yelled out her name.

"You can give up, Doctor," the Great Intelligence stated as it watched in triumph as Clara's cries of pain tore the Doctor apart. "She cannot hear you. It is sound proof."

"Let her go!" The Doctor ordered as he took out his sonic screwdriver and pointed it at the glass. He pulled back and read the results. The container was made of both glass and ice, a nearly impossible mixture to pull off because of the extreme heat require to make glass and the extreme cold needed to make ice, but the Doctor didn't focus long on that. The results said that there was no human DNA infused in the ice, and it was just normal, everyday ice, which meant it was able to be melted.

"Come now, Doctor. You know I can't do that. I finally have leverage."

While it was talking, the Doctor took his chance as he switched the sonic's setting to antifreeze and pointed it at the container, weakening it as the ice melted, leaving only the glass. He looked at Clara, crying and alone, one last time before he turned and instructed quietly to General Nathaniel Wellington, "Pull back." Wellington gave him a questioning look, but didn't argue as he motioned to the others, and the human soldiers began to retreat, except for one.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Tommy demanded as he ran over to the Doctor while the Time Lord struggled to take his eyes off his love and turn around. Tommy was the perfect distraction as the Doctor looked at him, allowing the man to see the agonizing pain in the TARDIS leader's eyes. The Doctor swallowed and regained his composure as he replied, "We don't have a plan. It'd be properly foolish to try to get her back now. She'll be safer if we come back with a plan."

Tommy was reluctant at first, but he finally nodded as he followed after the man. He cast one last glance at his baby sister as the ice soldiers took the container she was in away while the rest of the ice soldiers retreated as well.

* * *

"We might not be able to save her, Doctor," General Wellington commented as he watched the Doctor pace for a few moments, before the Time Lord placed his hands on the table, leaning against them as Wellington added, "I know she means a lot to you—"

"She means everything to me…" The Doctor interrupted as Wellington sighed before continuing, "But surrender is not an option."

"I never said that it was," the Doctor countered quietly with his eyes fixed on the center of the table as he drummed his fingers on the smooth wood, "but he _will_ get her back."

"And if we cannot get her back?" Vastra questioned as she came to stand beside him with her face hidden under her black veil to hide the fact that she was a prehistoric lizard woman from the dawn of time. The Doctor didn't reply as he gloved hand on the Doctor's shoulder as Wellington stepped forward and added, "We all have to come to terms with this. It is not worth ending the human race just to save one person."

The Doctor's expression hardened as he whipped around so he was looking Wellington dead in the eyes, his own eyes dark with an unreadable emotion as he growled, "It is to me." Wellington was startled by the Doctor's sudden hostility as Jenny rushed over and, in an effort to diffuse the situation, she pushed the Doctor back. She turned so she could look at both the Doctor and Wellington as she commented, "I agree with the Doctor. We could at least _try_ to save her." Wellington finally nodded in agreement as relief filled the Doctor's eyes, and he left the room.

* * *

_The sound of giggling filled the room and his ears as Clara laughed, the pure glee she felt not allowing her to do anything else except to express her happiness in its purest form. The Doctor came over to her, his typical smile carved into his face as he asked, "Where to now, my Clara?" Clara smiled and stood up on the tips of her toes, stretching her neck as she kissed him briefly. She placed her hands on his shoulders as she smiled and whispered in his ear, "Save me, chin boy…and show me the stars…"_

The Doctor woke from his sleep instantly wide awake, realizing it was only a dream as he sighed and sat up in his bed. He ran his fingers through his hair, thinking back over the dream at the meaning. Oswin, the girl from the Dalek asylum, had said those exact words, but he didn't fulfill his promise; he wasn't able to save her. His jaw locked and his eyes darkened as his determination kicked it into high gear. This time would be different. This time, her life would not be a casualty to save his or anyone else's. This time, he would save her.

* * *

"Let's go over the plan again," the Doctor commented as he looked around at the other people standing around the center table. Wellington sighed and pinched his nose in slight irritation as he responded, "Doctor, we've gone over the plan twice already in the last twenty minutes." The Doctor's eyes were razor sharp as he turned to him and growled, "And we're going over it again. We _need_ to get this right."

Vastra placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, making him look up at her, his blue eyes able to see through the black veil over her face, but before she could speak, the door to the planning room opened and a young woman poked her head inside. She was young, about the same age as Jenny, and had long, flowing blonde hair that cascaded over her shoulder and framed her face beautifully. The Doctor only glanced at her, in just an innocent to see who she was and was unaffected by her beauty. Wellington, however, looked at the woman in confusion as he stood up straight and asked, "What is it, Annabelle?"

"Have you seen, Thomas?" Annabelle asked as she stepped further into the room, pushing her hair behind her ear nervously. The Doctor immediately turned his attention to the woman, quickly deciphering that she was talking about Tommy, Clara's brother. He figured that Annabelle must be Tommy's wife. Tommy had told them earlier that he needed to see his wife. He turned around, wringing his hands in contemplation as he asked, "He isn't with you? He told us he was going to see you."

Annabelle seemed confused and worried as she shifted her weight from foot to foot and replied, "He stopped by, but he didn't stay for very long. He told me that he needed to see me one last time before he went on a mission." The Doctor swallowed in apprehension, hoping that his theories about what she could mean were wrong as he stepped forward and questioned, "What mission?"

"To save his sister, of course."

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**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**** So! What did ya think? I hope you liked it. Sorry if it seemed like it jumped around too much...My bad...And again, I apologize for taking so long to update this story, but I promise you, I will update much faster from now on! As always, please review, and if you leave me a review and are signed on, I will gladly give you a preview for the next chapter! Also, if you reviewed for the last chapter, and I didn't give you a preview, I apologize. I must have missed you. So, until next time, may the Force be with you (for my **_**Star Wars**_** fans, because I know there has to be some X3)! **


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